Firewater Rose
by Kerella
Summary: Zuko is imprisoned on Zhao's ship. When a new prisoner is brought on board, can Zuko overcome his prejudices and learn a thing or two about real strength? Rated for dark themes in the first chapters. Zutara, eventually.
1. Chapter 1

He sat solemnly on the cold metal floor of his cell. His eyes closed, bound topknot draping eerily still down the back of his head. Somewhere on the other side of the small brig, another inmate's chains clanked against the iron bars, but he did not hear it. He was lost in deep meditation.

Wardens came and left, occasionally accompanied by the sound of a metal plate clattering across the metal floor, and still he sat just like that. For hours. His hands were bound tightly, palms facing each other, in a single steel glove. No one ever saw him eat, and for the first several days he was there, he did not eat at all. When finally hunger drove him to eat, he did so only during the darkest of watches, refusing to give them the pleasure of seeing the Fire Prince on his knees, eating like an animal. They only knew that his dishes were empty during the next rounds.

He didn't know how long he'd been confined. There wasn't enough light available to mark the passing of days, but if he measured by the number of meals he'd received, he had been there nearly a month. The hair around his topknot had grown out and was tickling the tops of his ears. A shaggy growth of hair hung from his chin and upper lip.

It had been three days since the ship's progress had been stopped. He could only assume they had put into port somewhere in one of the territories held by his father. He hoped it would give Iroh time to catch up.

Loud voices echoed in the hallway outside the cell block. Excited voices. The door to the brig was thrown open and at least four pairs of boots stomped through the corridor and disrupted his reverie. The door of the cell next to his slid open with a metallic hiss, and a dark bundle was deposited on the cot.

"Someone to keep you entertained, Your Majesty," Zhao sneered.

Zuko returned to his meditation without a second thought for his new neighbor.

An hour, possibly two, later, Zuko was disturbed again by the steady sounds of sobbing on the edge of his hearing. He opened his eyes and glared through the bars at the lump lying on the cot. Through the dim light, he made out the form of a woman.

"What are you crying about, woman!" he demanded.

"Nothing," came her soft reply. He knew her voice. The Waterbender girl.

He sneered in disgust. So weak. An hour inside of a Fire Navy ship and she was broken. No wonder her tribe had been so easy to conquer. If only she'd shut up so he could continue with his meditation.

"Then be quiet," he ordered, "If I have to spend another month in this cell, I'll go insane if I have to listen to your blubbering, waterwitch."

She did not respond.

When Zuko next woke, it was to the sound of the Waterbender's cell being opened. He cracked open one golden eye to see what Zhao was up to, but made no movement or sound.

* * *

"You, girl!" Zhao demanded, "Get up!"

He grabbed her where she had been sleeping and hauled her up roughly by her hair. He shoved her against the metal bars that separated her cell from Zuko's.

"Where is the Avatar!" he demanded.

Zhao turned the girl's head so she could see the cold metal bars next to her face. Zuko could see the girl's eyes, wide awake and filled with terror. His heart sank in that moment. She would tell Zhao, and any hope he harbored for restoring his honor was lost. But, the girl remained silent.

"Tell me, or by Agni I will make you regret it!" Zhao slammed her head back against the bars, causing an echo that reverberated throughout the cellblock.

The girl let out a whimper, but said nothing.

Zhao released his hold on her hair and motioned to one of the wardens. The burly guard threw her over his shoulder, and the entire company left, carrying the girl with them.

* * *

Zuko had returned to his customary position, seated and meditating. The daily meal grew cold on the floor behind him. He ignored it. Again the sound of boots rattled against the metal floor, and again, the girl was deposited in the cell next to him. This time, she was dumped unceremoniously on the floor. Zuko waited until he heard the last of the wardens exit the brig and the heavy door clanged shut behind him before he turned to look at the girl.

She lay unmoving on the floor of her cell, facing him with her cheek pressed against the floor. Zuko crawled to the bars that separated their cells. A faint coating of mist appeared and evaporated on the cool metal next to her nose, in time with the shallow rise and fall of her chest. Blue eyes stared at him. No, not at him. Through him. A single tear formed and trickled down the side of her bruised face, disappearing into her dark brown hair above her ear.

Zuko retreated to his cot and leaned back against the hull of the ship that served as one of his cell walls. She had given up the Avatar. She was a peasant, she had no training in torture endurance. She had no military training. And she was weak, a bender of a weak element. And she had proven her weakness by giving up her friends, Zuko was certain of that.

He remained in that position for several hours. When the clanging and movement of the other prisoners stopped, and their ragged breathing slowed, Fire Prince Zuko climbed off his cot and knelt before his plate. He glanced at the water peasant in the next cell. She was still catatonic, but breathing. He bent down at the waist and placed his face over the plate. With an exasperated sigh, he ate.

* * *

"What's your name?" she asked, her voice rasping and weak.

"I don't have one," he answered, relieved that she hadn't seen his scar or recognized his voice.

"What am I supposed to call you, then?" she persisted.

"You don't. At all."

"How about, 'Koinu?' It suits you."

"How does that suit me?" he was getting irritated.

"You eat like one," she whispered.

"Like one what?"

"A puppy-dog."

"You saw that?" He felt the palms of his hands getting hot.

"Yes, but I won't tell. Why are your hands bound like that? Are you a firebender?"

Zuko grunted in reply.

"I'll take that as a, 'yes.' Would you like me to help you?"

"You? Help me?" Zuko was confused. What could an incarcerated, half-pulped waterbender do to help him?

"I can help you eat," she whispered her offer, "So that you don't have to eat like... that."

Zuko was taken aback by her offer. "No, thanks. I'd rather eat like a dog than accept food from a coward and a weakling."

"Fine," she said, rather curtly, "eat like a dog, firebender."

The cell block fell quiet for a few merciful hours.

* * *

She was awakened from a sound sleep by a sudden pain in her abdomen. She opened her bleary eyes to see Zhao looming over her, his boot planted firmly in her gut. He grabbed her by the hair on the front of her head and wrenched her neck back painfully.

"Alright, wench, let's try this again. Where is the Avatar?" He boomed.

Katara choked back a cry. Crying just made it worse. They were like sharks and her tears were like blood in the water. She looked him in the face, concentrating on the set of his chin. If she concentrated on something hard enough, she wouldn't feel. Wouldn't hear. Wouldn't speak. Most importantly, she wouldn't speak.

The room spun as she was hauled up out of her cot and thrown over another warden's shoulder. She bit her lip to keep from screaming out in pain when the back of her head struck the metal doorframe as she was taken out of the brig again.

They stopped moving. A door was unlatched. More movement. A door was re-latched, and she was rolled off the guard's shoulder and dropped to the floor. Another knee was forced into her back, and her hands were bound. A sharp sting to her right cheek, and she opened her eyes.

Zhao's hot breath surrounded her. All she could see was his face, an inch from hers.

"Do we have to do this again, witch?" he asked, a wicked smile curling across his face.

She said nothing.

"Again! Where is the Avatar!"

Silence.

Strong hands picked her up and threw her across a desk, pinning her shoulders down. Half-rolled parchments flew off the desk and floated to the ground. An inkwell crashed into the wall and shattered. A faint clinking noise overhead caught her attention. She stared at the tiny chandelier suspended from the ceiling over the desk. Focused on it. On the flame. Nothing but the flame.

Her legs were wrenched apart.

The flame danced and swayed to a song she couldn't hear. Maybe if she listened carefully...

Rough hands reached up under her tunic and grasped her bare hips.

The flame ducked and jumped and she realized that it was keeping time with the beating of her heart.

Pain stabbed her like a knife up from her most private regions, ripping up into her abdomen. She squirmed and bit down on her lip. Then, she felt nothing.

She was floating again. Up to the candle in the chandelier. She drifted past it, and the flame joined her, dancing and twisting to the sound of her heartbeat drumming in her ears, they floated. She dimly registered a burning pain on the inside of her thighs, a wetness streaking from the corners of her eyes, a sting to her left breast. As long as the flame danced, she didn't have to feel it.

* * *

Cold. She felt cold again. The flame was gone and every part of her body ached. She sat up carefully, holding her body at an angle to keep her weight off the bruises on her buttocks and thighs. She wiped a crusty trail of salt off the side of her face where her tears had dried.

She glanced around.

She was back in her cell. Her neighbor, the surly firebender, was sitting cross-legged on the floor on the other side of the bars. His food was sitting untouched by his cell door, as hers was sitting by her door.

She curled up on her cot and brought her knees up to her chest. Her last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep were of flying. Not with a flame, but on a great, warm, wonderful hairy beast. And laughter. Laughter of a boy too young to be caught up in this evil game.

* * *

Zuko waited until her breathing became slow and shallow. He unwound his legs, and with cat-like grace, he stood in one fluid movement. He couldn't bend, but he could still practice the movements, and he was going to need to stay in top form if he was going to get revenge on Zhao for this disgrace.

He leaned against the bars separating him from the waterbender girl. His golden eyes examined her as closely as the grey light allowed. More dark shadows crossed her face than the day before. Angry welts were rising on her wrists. Zhao's determination to beat Zuko to the Avatar was painted all over this girl's body, yet...

Obviously the girl had told Zhao nothing.

This peasant... This worthless girl from a dead Water Tribe... Had defied Zhao. A handful of words were all she had to say to spare herself from Zhao's lashings and beatings, but she chose to stay silent. Why? How?

Obviously the exiled Prince was missing a piece of the equation. Maybe she just didn't know where the Avatar was. No, that was nonsense. She'd been with him ever since he first discovered the Avatar was alive. Her pitiful affections for him at the other boy would have kept her tagging along behind them. No, it was something else, and Prince Zuko resolved to find out what.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender or any of the characters in this chapter. That's probably a good thing.

Thanks for reading this far, and don't forget to review!

* * *

**Flamewater Rose: Arc 1, Chapter 2**

A clattering of her dinner plate alerted Zuko that the girl was awake. He turned to face her, keeping the upper half of his face concealed in shadows.

"You know where the Avatar is. Why do you let him hurt you?" He asked.

"He's not, 'the Avatar.' He's my friend. If Zhao will do this to me, what do you think he will do to my friend?" she answered with a question.

"He'll kill you."

She sighed. "Maybe. Better me than A... my friend."

"He means that much to you?"

"He means that much to us all," she said quietly. "I'll do anything to keep them all safe."

"Even die?"

"There are worse things that Zhao can do to me than kill me. What are you in here for?"

"I'm asking the questions. Don't change the subject," he replied. His tone was tense and irritated. "Do you have a name, or should I keep calling you, 'water peasant?'"

"Katara."

It was a nice name. It suited her. It flowed off the tongue like a waterfall. It had a hard edge to it, a fierceness, as well. This girl was willing to die at Zhao's hands to protect her friends. For a moment, Zuko wondered at her loyalty. Her friends were her greatest weakness, and her strength. Without knowing it, she had claimed a very hard-won inch of respect in the Fire Prince's eyes.

"Why did you offer me your help?" he continued his questioning. His golden eyes scanned her form for additional hints to the mystery she presented.

"It seemed like the right thing to do," she whispered. She rolled over on her cot until her back was turned to him. She reached one hand around her neck and began absently rubbing a muscle at the base of her neck.

"The right thing to do," he scoffed, "I'm a firebender. You're Water Tribe. We're enemies. You don't help your enemies."

"We're both human," she said, her voice a little stronger now. "You don't deserve to be treated like an animal."

Here they were, a man and a woman, mortal enemies, forced into chains, forced to dress and go about all the other daily necessities with nothing but the shadows to hide themselves from each other and possibly other inmates in the brig, and she was concerned about his dignity? The mystery deepened.

"Why do you care?"

"I have to. If I stop caring, I stop being me, and he wins."

"Zhao?"

"Zhao. Prince Zuko. The Fire Lord. All of them. I can't let them win," she choked off a sob.

Her words stung. Why would he care if she stopped being herself? He didn't give a damn about Zhao, or the war, or her tribe, or the Avatar. He just wanted to be allowed to go home. To hell with her and pity. He laid down on his cot and closed his eyes.

* * *

He didn't speak to her again for nearly a week. The daily routine continued. After they woke, Zhao or one of his lieutenants would drag Katara out of her cell and keep her out until after the daily meal. When they returned, she would curl up in a ball on her cot for hours. If she slept at all, it was a fitful sleep, and more than once she called out in her sleep and woke up every resident of the brig. 

She, on the other hand, offered every night to help him with his meal. An offer that he merely ignored, much like the rest of her presence. If she sobbed, he would continue meditating or roll over in his cot, giving her his back.

What was it about the Avatar that inspired such loyalty in the girl? She was willing to spend the rest of her days, however many there were, taking horrendously painful wounds for that boy. Some days, when she returned from her interrogations, she was unable to sit in certain positions, or lie on one side. A wistful part of him wondered, if he had known her two years ago, would things have been different? What would he give to have someone with no bond of blood so loyal to him?

In that moment, he hated the Avatar. Hated him for having her friendship. Hated him for having her loyalty.

* * *

Looking back on it all, he wondered how he could have not known. How he had been so blinded by the stories of his nation's honor and valor, that he couldn't have seen the truth. He had already once seen Zhao dishonor himself, but Zuko didn't realize the depths to which Admiral Zhao had sunk. 

As always, Zhao entered Katara's cell with four other guards, right after she woke.

Zhao grabbed her roughly by the wrists and pulled a length of heavy twine from his coat pocket. Frantically, Katara glanced around to the other cells, the abject terror in her eyes obvious to anyone who was awake.

Zhao was visibly amused by her fear. "Now, now, water witch. Since you won't tell us in private where we can find the Avatar, maybe it's time we tried a new tactic."

Katara fixed her wide-eyed gaze on Zhao. He wrapped the twine around her wrists and pulled it tight. Zuko saw her wince and bite her lower lip as the twine cut into her wrists. Zhao tied the other end off to her cot.

"Maybe this time, we'll let your neighbors join in the fun," Zhao cackled.

"No..." Katara whispered.

Zuko couldn't believe his ears. Refused to believe his ears.

"What do you think, Prince Zuko?" Zhao sneered, "Would you like a go at her?"

Katara froze beneath Zhao's weight. She slowly turned her head to face Zuko.

"Zhao, you bastard. Where is your Fire Nation honor?" Zuko demanded. He strode forward into the shaft of light that cut through both of their cells from the doorway. He straightened his back to his full height, bringing his distinguishing scar into view, and glared down at the Admiral.

"Honor?" Zhao spat. "Who are you to speak to me of honor? Faithless. Exile. You have no stomach for war. Coward."

Zuko glanced down at Katara's face. Tears had already begun streaming down the sides of her face. Zuko wanted desperately to turn away, but the pleading in her eyes held him there. One by one, each guard Zhao had brought in took a turn at her. The only time she broke eye contact with Zuko was to scream in pain when some a new assault on her flesh was begun.

Zuko didn't know how long he stood there, leaning against the bars of the wall that divided them, holding her gaze. The wardens trailed their cruel laughter behind them as they exited the cell block. It was then that the catcalls began. The other inmates, vile as the ship's bilges, all of them, clattered their tin plates and tin cups against the bars of their cells, hollering obscenities and suggestions in Katara's direction.

She didn't hear any of them. She was crying herself to sleep. For once, Zuko was glad for the darkness, because he thought he might do the same.

* * *

Eyes. Glowing, yellow eyes surrounded her on all sides. Everywhere she turned, another pair stared back at her. 

_Weakling. Peasant.  
_

The golden color of the eyes darkened, deepened to a burnished brown. Where disdain had once been, malice took its place.

_Where is the Avatar? Give him to me!_

She whirled around in terror and ran. She closed her eyes and fled blindly, her pace quickening with each new demand from the eyes surrounding her.

As suddenly as they started, the demands stopped. And, so did she. She chanced opening one eye to take in her surroundings. Only one pair of eyes remained. Golden and beautiful, they were right in front of her. Facing forward, they occupied nearly all of her vision.

Slowly, she opened the other eye and took a step closer. Wordless thoughts entered her mind with the ease of the tide flowing in and out. _ Safety. Comfort. Protection_. She reached out to touch one of the brilliant orbs. When her fingertips made contact, the eyes disappeared like mist in the wind.

* * *

He hadn't moved by the time she awoke. She lay there on her cot for a few moments, only a few feet from one of her greatest enemies. She didn't need to confirm it. She'd spent an hour or more already focused on his face until she memorized every line of his scar, every fleck of gold in his eyes, trying to distance herself from what was being done to her body. It felt strange, owing this debt of gratitude to him. Despite the pain it caused him, he didn't abandon her when she needed him. 

He stirred. He went from being completely asleep to completely awake in the space of a breath, and he was staring at her.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" he asked. His voice sounded like it had aged a year overnight.

"For not turning away."

"They've been doing this all along?"

She didn't speak, she just nodded in reply.

"Can I ask you something?" he leaned a little closer to where her cot rested against the bars.

Again, she nodded.

"Would you," he paused, a moment of uncertainty flashed across his face. "Would you help me with my meal?"

"Why now?" she asked, puzzled by his sudden willingness to accept her help.

"Because, for right now, I don't want you to let me win."

Katara sat up, visibly shocked. Zuko, the insufferable, self-absorbed, pompous Prince of the Fire Nation was asking her for help. Then it sunk in what he had said. _I don't want you to let me win_, and her words from the week before echoed in her mind.

She nodded. "Thank you, again."

"No, don't thank me. We'll be even."

She climbed off the cot and crawled over to the corner nearest his cell door. Kneeling on both knees, she reached through the bars and grabbed his plate. Hand-over-hand, she brought the plate up until it was at chest level on her where she kneeled.

Zuko rose and walked over to stand opposite Katara on his side of the bars. He knelt on floor in front of her and placed his lips on the edge of the plate, eyeing her carefully. _This must be grating on him_, she thought. For a moment, she relished the knowledge that the great Prince Zuko was humbled before her. Gently, she tipped the plate toward him, allowing the slop that passed for prisoner food to slide into his mouth.

When she saw that he had a mouthful, she tipped the plate back and offered him the crust of bread he'd been given. He leaned in closer to her to take a bite. The hair on his head had grown out quite a bit. He still had his topknot, but what had once been a smooth, flawless scalp was producing a thick growth of black hair.

"What are you staring at?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to seeing you with so much... hair," she apologized.

"Don't get used to it. As soon as I'm out of here, it's coming off."

"Why? You look more h..." she caught herself before she could say, "handsome."

"More what?" he narrowed his left eye, making his scar look even more menacing.

"Human. Less like Zhao."

Her answer must have satisfied him. He took another bite of bread. With his mouth full, he motioned to her to bring the plate back up to his lips. In silence, they continued until he had finished his meal.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender, or any of the characters in this chapter.

Thanks for reading, don't forget to review!

* * *

**Flamewater Rose: Arc 1, Chapter 3**

Wave upon wave upon wave stretched below them from horizon to horizon. Foamy, white caps peaked and splashed into the ocean so far below that Sokka could only distinguish them as a fine line of white on a field of blue. A field of blue with not a single other sign of life in sight. 

The wind whipped and whirled past them. It was a cacophony of noise that only punctuated the fact that Katara wasn't in the saddle with them. Sokka missed her endless, cheerful chattering, and so did Aang.

"Do we have anything to eat?" Sokka grumbled.

"I think there's some bread left in the packs," Aang offered. "There might be some cheese, too. We're all out of fruit, though."

Sokka glanced at Momo. The lemur was perched on Aang's left shoulder, scanning the forward horizon with Aang.

"We're going to have to find somewhere to get supplies. Aren't we?" Sokka sighed.

Two weeks they'd been searching for Katara - two days on land around the city she'd disappeared from, and twelve at sea. Twelve at sea without any stops for food or supplies, only long enough to let Appa rest and eat whatever they could forage.

Sokka rummaged through their supplies, and pulled out a moldy crust of bread. After picking off the moldy parts, there was just enough edible bread to fill the palm of his hand.

"I don't suppose you know of any markets around here, do you?" Sokka asked.

"I... think there's one about a day north of here," Aang offered. "Maybe they'll have news about the Fire Navy!"

Sokka sighed. He wasn't any good to his sister dead, and Aang had a good point, even if it was made just to help them feel better about taking a detour from their search. _Hold on, Katara. Please be OK. Dad, I'm so sorry..._ Sokka slumped and laid his head on his knees, his hunger temporarily forgotten.

Appa banked gently to the left, taking on a northerly course. Aang glanced over his shoulder at Sokka, a few optimistic words on the tip of his tongue. One look at Sokka and Aang decided to remain silent. His heart wasn't in it. Katara always knew what to say. Whether it was something in her voice, or something in her smile, the right words would have come out of her mouth, but from anyone else, they were just words.

They flew on in silence for hours. The sun sank below the waves, and the moon rose from the depths. On the distant horizon, lights, hundreds of lights, lined up in rows, stacking on top of each other. Aang was glad to have found the town at night when he could fly over in the dark and hide Appa a distance from the town. As the lights grew larger and the town came into view, he banked Appa to the left again and directed him to a landing some miles west of town.

As Aang and Sokka quietly made camp near the beach, another set of lights floated into view. A single ship floated slowly toward the port like a wounded soldier limping off the battlefield.

* * *

Iroh stood on the bow of his ship, gazing silently at the city that was drifting closer and closer. The lights of a dozen homes danced and swayed in reflection in his tea. He raised the porcelain cup to his lips and took another sip. One who didn't know him better might think tea was his biggest weakness, but they would be wrong.

In fact, his ginseng tea was probably the only thing that would keep him sane until his biggest weakness was safely back aboard his ship. His nephew, Prince Zuko. For Zuko, Iroh had accepted exile. For Zuko, Iroh had faced Zhao. For Zuko, Iroh would face the Fire Lord himself in an Agni Kai duel.

A month and a half they had been chasing the Navy. Iroh had pushed his vessel to its very limits and beyond. The ship was in desperate need of boiler repairs as a result. It would be at least a day in the town procuring the necessary materials and parts, and at least another day on the repairs.

At last the ship's forward motion stopped. The crew scurried about the deck, tossing ropes over the port side and securing the ship to the dock. In a few minutes, a town official would be boarding and working out details with Jee.

The retired, and tired, General Iroh finished off the last of his tea returned to his cabin. He walked past his table and eyed his half-finished game of Pai-Sho wistfully.

_"We'll finish as soon as we locate the Prince," he told Jee._

Six weeks later, the game sat, unfinished. The pieces laid out on the table, secured in their positions through the rocking and rolling of the ship, still waiting for Iroh's next move.

Iroh went to his dresser and removed his sleeping attire. He reverently placed his lucky lotus tile in the top drawer where he could find it the next day. He glanced at the mirror above his dresser, and though he knew he was the only man in the room, he did not recognize the old man staring back at him.

Zuko leaned against the bars separating his cell from Katara's. She lay sleeping only a few feet away, her cot pushed up against the same bars. He listened to the rise and fall of her breath for a while. It was calming, relaxing. By timing his breaths with hers, he could induce a meditative state in himself.

* * *

It was quiet, now. The other inmates had exhausted themselves in their frenzy of lecherous shouts and forced voyeurism only an hour before. Katara hadn't screamed this time. Throughout the beatings and brutal assault on her womanhood, her blue eyes had stayed locked on his. In his dreams, he would still see those eyes. Glazed and desperate at first. Then, they would be empty.

The silence was disturbed by a whimper from Katara. Then another. And another. Zuko leaned forward, wishing again to have his hands free, and whispered into her ear.

"Shh, Katara. Be strong."

She drifted into a more peaceful slumber before whatever was haunting her dreams could send her into a panic.

_Am I in her dreams, too_? Zuko wondered._ Does she dream that I stand there and do nothing? Or worse?_

Zuko didn't follow that line of thinking any further. Instead, he pulled back into his corner and waited. It would be at least another hour before it was time to wake her, and he needed to meditate.

* * *

A map laid haphazardly unrolled across Zhao's desk. The Admiral himself and three of his highest-ranking officers surrounded it.

"We found the girl... here," Zhao indicated a small port town marked in red on the map. "The Avatar was last seen... here," Zhao indicated a second city marked in red, "400 miles southeast, and three days before we found the girl."

"They're headed northwest, then?" one officer chimed in.

"They were, two weeks ago. They could be anywhere by now," Zhao pointed-out. "They're moving from civilization to civilization, so they must be restocking supplies. From here," he pointed to the first red mark on the map, "they would have been in range of at least three cities only a few days away as the crow flies."

"Would they be searching for the girl?" a lieutenant asked.

"The Avatar has no time. Souzin's comet is coming. He would be a fool to waste time on the girl."

"Has she said anything?" another lieutenant asked.

"No. If her questioning wasn't so... popular... with the crew, she'd be dead. She doesn't know," Zhao stated. "Follow the coastline to the next port," Zhao indicated a black mark on the map, "We'll restock and see if we can find out anything new about the Avatar."

"What about the Prince?"

"We'll release him as soon as we deliver the Avatar to Lord Ozai," Zhao answered. His voice carried a hint of wicked glee that induced smiles in his officers. "If he gets caught within the borders of the Fire Nation? Well, that's his problem, isn't it?"

Laughter reverberated throughout the officers' quarters.

* * *

Zuko unwound his legs and rose to his feet. Quietly, he approached the bars next to Katara's cot. Slowly, he reached his steel-bound hands through the bars and gave her a gentle shove on the shoulder. She rolled-back against his hands, clanging the steel gloves against the bar. The noise woke her and she sat bolt-upright in bed.

Zuko glanced around in the darkness, and the two of them held their breaths until they were certain none of the other inmates had awakened at the noise. In silence, Katara held the tin plate while Zuko ate. When he was done, she placed it back on the floor by the door to his cell before going to her own food.

Zuko sat cross-legged on the floor and watched her eat. She had fresh bruises forming from today's assault, and dark lines were forming where scratches and lashings were beginning to heal. Her wounds from the days before weren't noticeable in the pale light.

"Do you think they'll come for you?" he asked.

She stopped in mid-bite for a moment. She quickly swallowed and said, "Yes. We're family. They're looking for me."

"The Avatar is your family?"

"His name isn't, 'Avatar,' it's, 'Aang,' and yes, he's family," she stated. He smirked at the annoyance in her voice.

"What is he, a cousin, or a distant uncle or something?" Zuko asked.

"Neither. He's not related by blood, but he's like a brother to me," Katara said. The conviction in her assertion that the Avatar was like a brother to her brought a smile to Zuko's lips.

"And the other one?"

"My blood brother. He promised Dad he'd keep me safe. He'll come." Katara returned to her meal. She dabbed a bit of bread on the plate to sop up what looked like some kind of gravy.

"What's his name?"

"My brother?" she asked. Zuko nodded.

"Sokka."

"Do you have any other family? Your mother, a sister?"

Katara froze, her hand hovering over her bread. Zuko knew he must have hit a sensitive subject.

"Gran-gran. She's the only other family I have left," Katara answered, sorrow tinging each word.

_So, her mother, then._

"What about you?" she turned to Zuko. "I know you have a father, but what about the rest of your family?"

"A sister and an uncle."

"Are they both firebenders?" she raised an eyebrow in Zuko's direction.

"You've seen Uncle firebend." Zuko stated. His eyes narrowed.

"Oh," she said silently. "The iceberg."

Zuko nodded.

"What about your sister?" she asked. When the question wasn't answered, she looked up from her plate and locked her gaze on the Prince. After a few moments, she blushed and turned away.

"Your uncle, then. Do you think he's looking for you?" she asked.

"He is."

Katara blinked and sat up. She turned to face Zuko, and looked him in the eyes.

"I have a proposition for you," she began. "If Aang gets to us first, I'll talk him and my brother into getting you out. If your uncle gets to us first, you get me out of here and leave me at the next port."

"And just let you go?" Zuko raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yes," she said. "OK. If Aang and my brother find us first, we'll take you to your ship. What happens when you're on your ship is fair game."

_A chance to have the Avatar in range..._ Zuko thought to himself.

"Agreed," he held his hands out to her. She placed her hands on his and they shook on it.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender or any of the characters in this chapter.

Enjoy! Don't forget to review!

* * *

**Firewater Rose: Arc 1, Chapter 4**

Zuko watched with feigned disinterest as the girl bent a small amount of water from the tin cup she'd been given to drink from. She molded the few drops of water into a myriad of shapes - spheres, cubes, and even a short, thin whip. Finally she formed the water into an oblong shape and wrapped it around the fingers on her right hand. Zuko's interest was piqued when she began massaging her left arm, and he slid a little closer to her.

She pretended not to notice for several minutes, focusing all her attention on her wounded arm. When she was done, she spoke.

"Why do you want Aang?" she asked.

"I don't want the Avatar. I want my honor back," Zuko stated, his voice as hard as steel.

"I've heard that honor is rather important in the Fire Nation," she said.

_She's baiting me, _Zuko thought. "A person is nothing if they have no honor."

Katara looked up at him briefly before turning her attention to her left wrist. She continued talking while massaging her wrist.

"Do you know how old Aang is?" she asked.

"One-hundred and twelve years," he replied, flatly.

"Yes, it's been that long since he was born. But, he's only twelve in his mind, body and soul. Care to guess what his greatest ambition is at the moment?"

"To destroy the Fire Nation."

"Wrong. There's a rather impressive list of animals he wants to ride, and places he wants to see. In other words, all he wants is to be a kid!" she exclaimed.

Zuko's expression remained disinterested, but the gears in his mind began turning. _Half of the Fire Nation Navy is breathing down his neck, and he wants to indulge in childish games? I've been chasing him half-way around the world, and he's chasing his whims?_ Zuko felt his temperature begin to rise.

"Of course, he can't do that with you and your father running us all ragged," she continued. "You've forced him to stop being a twelve-year-old."

She fell silent for a few moments, no longer rubbing her wrist, and studied Zuko's face for a moment. Evidently, she didn't find what she was looking for, there.

"Where is the honor in sending Aang to his death?" her words were a sword poised to strike his very heart. Was the act that would restore his honor in the eyes of his people, in and of itself, dishonorable?

"Neither you, nor I, nor the Avatar know what will happen once the Avatar is in father's hands," was all Zuko could say.

"Now who's being the coward?" she asked. "You and I both know exactly what your father is going to do, so don't hide behind your illusions of ignorance."

Zuko cast a single, burning glare in her direction before he stood up and stalked over to his cot. He crossed his legs and closed his eyes, determined to shut her and her words out of his mind.

* * *

Katara finished healing the worst of her most recent bruises. With a heavy sigh, she got up and slumped over on her cot.

_Good move, Katara. You've just alienated your only friend in this place._

She glanced over to the meditating Prince in the adjacent cell. Sitting on the far side of his cell from her, all she could see were his boots, which were a far cry from the fine leather footwear he'd worn when he was in command of his own ship.

_Friend? Is that what he is? OK, maybe, 'ally,' is a better word, but that doesn't really do it justice, does it? Could Aang or Sokka not look away?_

She struggled in her mind for a long time, tossing around words that might suit her new situation with the exiled Prince, but none seemed to quite fit. He wasn't a friend or an ally, because as soon as they were both to safety, she was sure he'd resume his Aang-hunting pastime. He was more than a friend, though. He cared enough to do the most difficult thing she'd ever needed anyone to do. He may not have been holding her hand, but what he did was better. He was saving the most important pieces of, 'Katara,' from drowning in pain.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. A glint of gold in the shadows indicated that Zuko had opened his eyes.

"You didn't deserve that from me. I shouldn't have called you a coward. The truth is, I don't know if Aang or Sokka could do as much for me as you have these last few days," she said, with more volume and conviction. She was rewarded by the sound of him sliding off his cot and approaching her cell.

"We really should eat before the food congeals," she said. She laughed nervously for a moment before sliding off her cot and grabbing his plate.

He ate in silence, occasionally pausing to glance up at her while she held his plate. A storm was brewing in his eyes that mimicked the confusion she felt in her mind. When he was done, she set the plate down and turned back to see, to her surprise, that he was still sitting there, watching her. She stifled a giggle rubbed the tip of her nose with her finger. He glanced at her in confusion, and she did it again. Finally, she reached through the bars and gently wiped a smudge of the daily slop off of his nose with her shirt sleeve. His expression returned to its usual surly state.

"What was that you were doing earlier?" he asked.

"Waterhealing," she answered, "It's not unheard-of, but not common, either."

"You're pretty good, then, for a waterbender?" he asked.

"If I do say so myself..." she said, "Yes. I still need practice, but I'll be a Master before long."

"At least you're able to bend in here," he groused. "If I try, I'll incinerate my hands before I melt the lock on this thing," he indicated his steel glove.

Katara considered the device for a moment. "You can bend with your feet, too, right?"

"Of course, but I'd still destroy my hands trying to burn this thing off."

"What if you only need to apply fire to it for a few seconds?" she asked. When he raised his eyebrow, she continued, "They really were counting on us not cooperating, you know."

"Why don't you just tell me what you're thinking, girl?"

"Fine. Back home, we always had to be careful not to warm pots, pans... tea cups... up too fast, or they'd break. What if I froze the lock, and you heated it up real fast? That should bust it," she whispered.

He thought about it for a moment. "That might work. There's just one problem. We're out at sea. There's no where to go but overboard."

"Then we wait until the opportune moment," she grinned wickedly.

He nodded in agreement. "The next time we dock."

The faint noise of a bell clanging somewhere above deck echoed through the brig.

* * *

The entire stretch of the southern horizon was an ominous black, though it was still just mid-day. Flashes of light followed by distant rumblings of thunder danced between the low-hanging clouds and the surface of the sea. White peaks rose above the surf only to come crashing down into the waiting water. The ship's bell sounded a warning.

Zhao stood on the deck of his ship and eyed the approaching storm with an impatient scowl. They'd have to go miles out of their way to avoid the worst of it, and they'd have to put in for supplies sooner than he'd planned. This was going to cost them a lot of time in his hunt for the Avatar. He waited until the storm began driving the waves up on deck before he returned to his quarters.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender, or any of the characters in this chapter. People who tell much better stories do.

Only a few chapters left to go in this arc. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!

**Firewater Rose: Arc 1, Chapter 5**

In the last six hours, things had definitely gone from good, to better, in Zuko's opinion. Two years at sea had long since given him the sea-sense to know when the ship was docked, as Zhao's had been for several hours. Waiting until what Zuko hoped would be nightfall was difficult, but his patience was rewarded. The rolling of the ship told Zuko that the storm had followed them in. With no moonlight to give them away as they crossed the deck, their plan was no longer suicidal. Just crazy.

He stretched the tip of his boot between the bars and nudged Katara with his toe.

"Get up. It's time."

* * *

Katara took a moment to get her bearings before nodding a groggy agreement to the Prince. The way the ship was starting to pitch under her feet was going to make her job very tricky, she thought.

Without taking any more time to pull herself together, she focused on the water in her tin cup. She stretched and pulled half of it into a thin line and guided it into Zuko's cell where he had held his steel glove outstretched for her with the hinge on top. She wrapped her little water whip around the hinge and exhaled, freezing it in place.

He sank down to a sitting position, placing the hinge between his feet. To Katara, it looked remarkably like the position he assumed to meditate in. The expression on his face was identical to his meditation face. His breathing slowed. It became more precise. With a loud clatter, the glove exploded.

Katara knew that their time was now very short. Even if one of the other cell inhabitants didn't raise the alarm, one of the guards could have heard the noise of Zuko breaking free of his restraints. She merged the remaining water in her cup with Zuko's and gathered it into a ball that hovered over her right hand.

* * *

Zuko rubbed his wrists and palms, massaging as much of the previous weeks' worth of confinement out of them as he could. He then brought his right arm around in a single graceful arc and focused his fire and frustration on his cell door lock. The device melted under his heat and the door swung free. A repeat of the same action destroyed the lock on Katara's cell, and she emerged and gifted Zuko with one of the brightest smiles he'd ever seen.

Zuko grabbed Katara by the elbow and pulled her toward the door. A muffled noise behind them caught his attention. When he turned around to be sure none of the other inmates would tip-off their wardens, he discovered the miscreant nearest the door had developed a mouth full of ice and an expression of sheer terror. Zuko glanced at Katara and raised his eyebrow. She motioned for him to keep moving with one hand, while keeping her waterball hovering at her right hip with the other.

* * *

Katara guessed that most of the crew must've been on deck, in their quarters, or on shore. Every stray shadow that crossed their paths had Zuko pulling them into corners and behind boxes, but they didn't encounter another human being until they got up on the main deck.

The pair made a mad dash from the stairwell to the side of the forward port-side catapult. They squeezed themselves between the chassis of the catapult and several barrels of pitch. Zuko risked sticking his head around a barrel to steal a glance at the railing, and pulled back quickly.

"We're locked-down, Admiral," a man's voice said. All she could see from behind the barrels was the man's the red piping and black sleeve of the man's uniform. "We should be good to ride out the storm."

"Very well, captain. Get the flammables below deck before lightning hits something," the Admiral commanded before moving down the gangplank.

The captain motioned to someone Katara couldn't see and pointed at the barrels that were serving as their hiding place. "Get these below deck now!" he barked.

As soon as the captain turned to head below deck, someone knocked-over a barrel in the front row and began to roll it away. Zuko gave Katara a firm shove and they dashed out of their hiding spot and ran between the captain and the crewman while their backs were turned. Shadows began moving ahead of them. Men were running toward the catapults. Katara desperately hoped they were just going to help move the pitch.

Zuko yanked her down behind a stack of crates that were stacked next to the port-side railing. Neither one exhaled until all of the crewmen passed. When the last footfalls faded into silence, they hesitantly stood and glanced around. Seeing no one, they both glanced over the rail of the ship.

"I guess this is a bad time to ask," Katara whispered, "But can you swim?"

Zuko shot her a hot glare but didn't answer. Instead, he swung his legs over the rail and jumped in feet first.

_Of course he can swim. What kind of idiot spends all that time on a boat and doesn't know how to swim?_

Katara gathered her tattered tunic about her and silently slid herself over the rail after him. The temperate water hit her with the force of a flying bison falling out of the sky. She floundered about in the water for a moment, disoriented by the lack of any light at all, until a hand grabbed her collar and pulled. The hand kept pulling until she broke the surface.

She took on gasping breath and turned to find Zuko treading water a foot away. He motioned for her to follow. They made the swim to shore just in time to hear the bell about Zhao's ship begin its incessant clanging. Sailors scurried about the deck like ants on an anthill that had just been kicked-over.

"We'd better keep moving," she said, "They know we're not on board. They'll turn that town upside down by morning."

Zuko nodded.

"I don't think we can count on finding a room at an inn. Maybe we should head into the..." she said, but Zuko was already moving into the dense thicket that bordered the beach. Katara scrambled to catch-up to him.

* * *

"Sokka, get up!" Aang shouted.

"Mmmph. Is it morning already?"

"Almost. We've gotta get moving."

"Did you get a lead on the Fire Navy?" Sokka rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"You might say that. They've overrun the town."

"Wha?" Sokka was still too groggy to comprehend.

"The town... It's full of Fire Nation troops. They're looking for someone. Get your stuff packed, we need to move."

Iroh had spent the morning negotiating supplies for his men and was enjoying a well-deserved shopping spree for himself while repairs were made to his ship when a shadow fell across his path.

"Well, well. What a coincidence this is," drawled a very unwelcome voice.

"Admiral Zhao! What an unexpected pleasure to meet you here!" Iroh barely concealed his confusion. _What have you done with Zuko, cur!_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Fortunately for all of you, I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender or any of the characters in this chapter. I'm not near as good at storytelling as the real owners are.

Please read and review!

* * *

**Flamewater Rose: Arc 1, Chapter 6**

Katara sat huddled at the mouth of the cave with her knees tucked up under her chin and her arms wrapped around her shins. She watched silently as the first light of the pale dawn crept through the trees, vanquishing mists along its way. Slowly, she stood, stretching her aching back and legs. Her rear had started to go numb from sitting on the cold stone for hours.

She went back into the depths of the cave, where her companion was curled up on the ground, asleep.

"Zuko."

Two amber eyes flashed open and fixed on her.

"It's dawn. I'm going to get us something to eat. I'll be right back."

Without waiting for him to answer, she walked out of the cave. Carefully she picked her way past the brambles and underbrush of the forest to the beach. _Did we walk this far last night?_ She thought. _Maybe it doesn't seem so bad in the dark..._

It took longer to get to the beach than she'd planned. She was going to have to hurry. She hated having to waterbend under pressure like that - it always made things messy. The last thing she needed was to draw attention, and Zhao's ship was still docked only a few miles away.

Carefully, she shifted quickly through her stances. Two large globes of water burst out of the ocean. She pulled them to her. Holding out the bottom of her tunic with one hand, she brought the fish-bearing globes over to her and released them. She bundled the flopping fish in her tunic and returned to the cover of the thicket.

When she got back to the cave, Zuko was meditating. He opened his eyes when he heard her approach.

"Took you long enough."

"Be glad I'm not going to make you go hungry," she released her tunic, letting her catch flop to the ground. Zuko raised his eyebrow skeptically at the fish.

"You plan to eat them alive, or let them suffocate?"

She grunted at him. "Watch and learn."

She grabbed the first fish by the tail and beat its head soundly against the stone floor of the cave. When she released it, it lay still on the ground. The second fish got the same treatment.

"Mind starting a fire?" she asked.

"And tip Zhao off to where we are? Forget it. Watch and learn."

Zuko reached under his tunic and produced the tin plate from his cell. She stared in wide-eyed amazement at him. He placed both fish on the plate, then balanced the plate across both of his palms. In a few minutes' time, the aroma of cooking fish filled the cave.

When he was done, he handed one fish to Katara with an admonition to be careful, the fish was hot. Katara held the fish by its tail for a few minutes, waiting for it to cool.

"You burned your hands," she observed.

"This?" he held one palm up and examined it. Sure enough, red marks ran down the side of his palm from his pinky finger to his wrist. "I did that last night breaking that glove."

"Want me to fix it?"

"After breakfast, maybe."

She nodded. They ate their fish quietly. When they were done, Zuko wiped the plate off with his ragged tunic sleeve before stashing it back under his tunic. He held his hands out to Katara, who bent the water out of her own tunic to heal him. As she massaged his hands, a strange question arose in her mind.

"Why did you steal that plate?"

"I didn't steal it," he sounded insulted. "Zhao owes me at least that much. Besides, I thought it might come in handy, and I was right."

Katara nodded and turned her attention to his other hand, pleased with the work she'd done on the first.

"I've been thinking," Zuko started, "Uncle is chasing Zhao, and so are your friends, because they both think that's where we are, right?"

Katara nodded.

"But, Zhao is chasing the Avatar. That means that our best chance of finding my uncle or your friends is if we go wherever the Avatar was going..."

"Nice try. I'm not biting," Katara looked up at Zuko. _Does he think I'm that stupid?_

"Then," Zuko stared at Katara, "we're stuck."

Katara stopped her work on Zuko's hands and looked him directly in the eye. Yes, Katara knew where Aang was going. There was no reason she couldn't start heading toward the North Pole, and just not tell Zuko where they were going. They were bound to encounter Aang or Sokka before they got all the way there.

"I'm leading the way. Don't ask questions," she instructed.

Zuko looked doubtful. "How can I trust you?"

"Trust me?" Katara let the hurt reflect in her eyes for a moment before it was replaced by anger, "After the last two weeks, how can you not trust me?"

"Fair enough," Zuko answered. "Where are we going?"

"No questions!" Katara yelled. She turned to storm out of the cave, then stopped, "North. We're going north."

* * *

Appa flew between the Fire Navy ship and the sun with his two charges on board, high enough that any Fire Navy personnel on the ship would be blinded by the sun if he looked in their direction. The ship had begun moving out around mid-day. Zhao was skirting the coastline, headed in a northerly direction, which suited Aang just fine. As soon as they got Katara off that ship, they'd be able to continue their journey without losing any more time.

"Tell me again, what's the plan?" Sokka asked.

"We follow Zhao. As soon as he puts into port again, we sneak on board and rescue Katara," Aang answered, sounding cheerful enough to almost be convincing. Almost.

"And, exactly how are we going to sneak onto a Fire Navy ship?" Sokka was skeptical about their chances for success.

"Well, I hadn't actually gotten to that part of the plan, yet, but I'm sure we'll think of something!" Aang flashed a smile at Sokka, who did not return the gesture. "Katara's fine, Sokka. She's gotten herself out of worse than this! I bet, by the time we get there, she'll have Zhao and the entire crew frozen to a catapult!"

Sokka chuckled. "You're right. But I'm her big brother, and as her big brother, it's my job to worry. That, and tease her, make fun of her," Sokka scrunched up his face and counted on his fingers as he listed all of the things that fell under, "brotherly duties."

"I'm worried about her, too," Aang said, quietly.

* * *

Zhao's fingers traced the coastline of the map laying on his desk. He started at the town where the traitor and the witch had escaped his custody, and moved in a northeasterly direction to where the map showed a river emptying into the ocean. There, his finger moved east, along the river, to a marking indicating a sizeable settlement on the river a few miles inland.

"Here."

"Are you sure, sir?" his pilot asked.

"Yes," Zhao's stern voice instructed. "There. We'll dock there, refuel, restock, and interview the locals."

The map indicated that the mouth of the river wasn't hospitable for a port. Topography indicated that the river had cut a massive chasm in the land, resulting in sheer cliffs at the ocean's edge. The land settled out to the east, sloping down to sea-level. This was where to docks had been built. This was where Zhao was going to continue his search for the Avatar, the coward, and the wench. Whichever one he found first was going to be extremely sorry that any of them had ever gotten away from him.

The pilot's voice trembled, "Are you sure you don't want to continue further north, sir?"

Zhao glanced up at the man, his gaze intense. "Why are you questioning me?"

The pilot gulped. "I'm not questioning you sir. I-I'll see that it's done!"

The man made a hasty exit. Zhao glared at the closed door.

* * *

Iroh calmly entered the bridge of his ship. He motioned to his pilot to join him by a map that was spread across the wall at the rear of the bridge. He pointed meaningfully at a dot on the map, along a river that cut into the continent's western coastline.

"We sail here. We need to make ready to be underway in an hour. Zhao already has three hours' headstart on us."

"How can you be sure this is where he's going?" his pilot raised an eyebrow.

"Your counterpart on his ship... Is not very good at playing Pai-Sho," Iroh chuckled.

The pilot's second eyebrow shot up. "General! Since when do you gamble?"

"Since it became advantageous," Iroh pulled his lucky lotus tile out of his sleeve and rubbed it between his fingers.

"And if he changes course?"

"We'll know when we get there, then. Keep your distance from Zhao. If we can stay out of sight, that would be best."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender, or any of the characters in this chapter. If wishes were fishes...

Almost done, just another chapter or two to go after this one!

* * *

**Firewater Rose: Arc 1, Chapter 7**

Three days of hacking their way across country was beginning to grate on her nerves. So was he. Never again would she take Appa for granted! She took out her frustrations on the vines that grabbed her thin tunic, knocking them loose with a stick. Two yards ahead of her, the other source of her frustration was doing the same.

Hunger didn't do much for his temper, and berries and fruits weren't doing much for his hunger, apparently. The only weapons they had to hunt with were sticks and stones, and apparently, despite all fairy tales to the contrary, the Prince had apparently not spent much time chasing game. That meant they would have no meat until they found a town.

And then what? The only things either of them had were the tunics they'd been forced to wear on Zhao's ship, and a tin plate. Nothing that would fetch a price. They'd have to work for their supper.

A vision of Zuko mucking-out a stall rushed into Katara's mind, and she had to cover her mouth to avoid laughing out loud. In her haste to avoid embarrassing herself and Zuko, she choked. She balled her fist and slammed it into her chest several times to reopen her airway, then her whole body slammed into something hard.

Zuko. The young man flailed blindly for a few moments, finally grabbing onto a tree. The tree swayed and groaned from his weight, and Katara saw why he stopped. The ground had stopped. Where the trail had been, a chasm easily a half-mile across and hundreds of yards deep ripped across their path. Hastily, she grabbed Zuko's tunic and pulled him back from the gaping maw.

They tumbled backward to the ground in a writhing knot of arms and legs. When they sorted themselves out, Zuko ended up on top of her, and she went stone-still. Her eyes became wide, unfocused, as recent memories flooded her soul. _Getoffgetoffgetoff!_ Her mind screamed.

Suddenly, the weight was gone. She could breathe again. She lay on the ground, panting. When the world came back into focus, she was mortified to discover her tunic had ridden half-way up her thighs. With hasty, trembling movements, she sat up and smoothed her tunic back over her legs, and stared at her knees until her breathing slowed.

A hand came into her line of sight. An open hand. She grabbed hold of it, and it pulled her up. Another hand steadied her, and two eyes of amber fire gazed at her in concern.

"I'm OK," she breathed. "You just startled me is all."

Zuko said nothing, and turned to gaze out across the chasm.

* * *

_Startled my ass_, Zuko thought. He'd seen that look before. On dozens of soldiers returning from the war. Anytime they heard rocks falling, or waves crashing ashore, they wore that look. They wore it for the same reason she did. They thought they were under attack, again, and so had she.

_How dare she think me capable of that!_

"Looks like we have to turn back," her voice was still trembling.

"No, let's follow the chasm to the east. There's bound to be a bridge or something to cross the gap," he said. _And maybe something to eat..._

The waterbender sighed. "If only Aang were here, we could just fly across it."

Zuko's annoyance grew at the mention of the Avatar's name. "Why do you follow that kid around?"

Katara stared at him as if he'd just sprouted red horns and green spots. "Because Aang will stop this war and save us..."

"You know, if the Fire Nation captures you, you will die. Are you willing to die for him?" Zuko spat.

"Of course..." Katara's eyes were whirlpools of confusion.

Zuko clenched his jaw. There it was again. Her unwavering loyalty to, and undying faith in, a child. How long had it been since anyone had that kind of faith and devotion to him? How long had it been since he felt those things himself?

He mentally chided himself. Those had all cloaked themselves and walked out of his life nearly ten years ago.

"I envy him," he finally said.

Katara turned a bewildered face to Zuko. "Envy him? Why?"

"You believe in him. He's done so little to warrant your faith and devotion, and you offer it so freely."

"What about the men on your ship? Aren't they dedicated to... whatever you're trying to accomplish? To you?" she asked.

"They're paid. There's a difference. Every last one of them would turn his back on me if a better offer came along," Zuko's voice dripped with scorn. "They do what they do for money or out of fear. You choose to do what you do of your own free will, and you do it out of..."

"Love," she finished the sentence for him.

"Love," he echoed.

Their conversation was halted by a rumbling groan overhead. A shadow burst through a cloud, revealing itself to be the Avatar's flying bison.

"Appa! Aang! Sokka!" the girl yelled. Zuko's face fell.

* * *

An errant breeze carried her beautiful voice aloft to their ears. "Appa! Aang! Sokka!"

"Katara!" Aang and Sokka shouted in unison. Both boys' faces were alight with happiness and relief. Sokka scanned the ground before them and spotted two figures standing at the edge of the cliff beneath them. One of the figures was waving frantically to them.

"There she is!" Sokka exclaimed, pointing to the right and behind them. Aang tugged on Appa's reins and steered the great beast back around to where Katara was stranded on the cliff, with...

Zuko! Sokka's eyes narrowed. _That dirty, rotten firebender! If he's laid one filthy hand on my sister, I'll..._ Well, Sokka wasn't too sure what he'd do, but it would involve a great deal of violence, whatever it was. It may get him killed, too, but his sister's honor was worth it.

When the boys slid off of Appa's back and onto the earth at the top of the cliff, they gazed in confusion, casting glances back and forth between Katara and Zuko. Sokka's hand stayed on his boomerang.

"Come on, Katara, let's get out of here before his buddies show up," Sokka said.

Katara nodded in agreement. Then she did the most incredibly stupid thing Sokka had ever seen his sister do. She introduced Appa to that bastard!

"OK, now I think he'll carry you, Zuko," she was showing Zuko how to climb up on top of Appa.

"No," Sokka said, "Absolutely not. We're not taking him with us."

"We can't just leave him here," Katara blinked at her brother.

"Oh, yes we can. It's simple. The three of us get on Appa, he stays on the ground, where he belongs, Aang tells Appa to take off, and voila! We're safe in the air, and he's here on the ground."

"Sokka, how can you be so cold-hearted," Katara looked hurt.

"It's easy. We're Water Tribe. He's Fire Nation. He stays, we go."

"If he stays, I stay," Katara insisted. _She's bluffing_, Sokka thought.

The object of their discussion, so far, had not made a single statement. He was leaning quietly against the hairy beast. The hairy beast's only comment was a groan that sounded more like a yawn than anything else.

Then Aang spoke up, "If we let him come along, what are we going to do with him?"

"Take him back to his ship, of course," Katara answered.

"Oh, no you don't," Sokka shook his head at his sister, "We take him back to his ship, his soldiers shoot Appa, Aang gets captured, and this entire adventure has been for nothing. No, we leave him here."

"That's the deal, Sokka," Zuko finally spoke up, startling the water boy in the process. "I helped your sister escape Zhao, she helps me get back to my ship. Love it or leave it."

Sokka glanced back and forth between Zuko and Katara. _He's lying. He's got to be. Katara wouldn't do something that stupid. Would she?_ Katara's face remained firm and she nodded. _She would._

"Sokka," Aang chipped in, "It'll be OK. Katara's back. We owe him that much."

Sokka wished he could share his friend's optimism.

A few minutes later, everyone was secure on Appa's back and the bison moved away from the cliff. Sokka never took his eyes off his enemy, and he was rewarded with sadistic glee when he discovered that Zuko was terrified of flying. Oh, the guy tried to hide it, alright, but his insistence on sitting in the middle of Appa's back, and his refusal to look at anything that might let him see just how high up they were, those were dead giveaways.

"How did you find us?" Katara asked.

"Well, actually, we were following that ship," Sokka replied.

"What ship?" she raised an eyebrow. At that moment, a molten piece of rock shot past Appa's right shoulder, singing him on its way. Burning pitch fell off as it streaked overhead, setting Appa's coat on fire. Katara raced to pat out as many of the flames as she could before Appa was injured.

"Uhm. That ship!" Sokka exclaimed.

Zuko whirled around to face the direction Sokka was pointing. "Zhao!"

Aang pulled sharply on the reins as a barrage of fireballs filled the sky in front of them. Momo clung to Aang's head as the other three occupants held on for dear life. Appa twisted and dipped his way past the barrage in a desperate attempt to get out of range.

When they were no longer in danger, Sokka looked up from where he had grasped on to Appa. Aang, Katara and Momo seemed no worse for wear, but Katara was frantically looking around in the water for something. _She musta lost something in all that tumbling around_. Then it hit him. Zuko wasn't on Appa.

"There he is!" she pointed to something in the water, a hundred yards behind them. Zuko was treading water in the violent surf. "We have to go back!"

"No. I told you it was a bad idea to bring him on board, and besides, if we go back, that warship is going to shoot us out of the sky," Sokka pointed out. "If he's a good swimmer, he can make it to that beach before the warship gets him."

Katara glanced over the side again, and back to her brother. "Aang, Sokka, I'm sorry. I made a promise," and with that she dove into the river.

* * *

This time was a hundred times worse than when she had jumped off the warship that was now firing on her. This time, she was sure Appa had done a belly-flop into the water right on top of her. She came up spluttering and searched the waves.

She found Zuko, struggling to keep his head above water, several yards upstream. She bent the water around her, slowing the current that was pushing them both out to sea, and giving herself a chance to reach him before it pulled her under. With sure strokes, she pushed herself through the water as the river's current pulled him toward her. When at last he was in arm's reach, she grabbed a hold of his collar.

A whistling sound overhead caught her attention. She looked up in time to see a fireball bearing down on them. Frantically, she kicked, willing the water out of her way. Darkness washed over her like a tidal wave.

* * *

Zuko awoke, choking on brackish river water. It took him a moment to place where he was. Not on land, he was in the air. He sat up, and discovered he was being watched very intently by the water boy.

"I was in the water. What am I doing back up here?" he asked.

"My sister's an idiot," the boy said, contempt seeping out through his pores, "she jumped in after you."

"She did? Where is she? We have to go back! If Zhao..."

"Relax. You really think we'd bother to save you and not her?" Sokka glared at him.

Zuko noticed a bundle of blankets laying next to him.

"Touch her and die, scumbag."

"Is she going to be OK?" Zuko couldn't see anything but her face, which was calm and serene in her slumber.

"The burns will heal. She'll probably heal them herself. Bet you didn't know she could do that, did you, _firebender,_" Sokka taunted him.

"Actually, yes, I did," Zuko gazed at his hands.

_She came back for me?_ Zuko wondered. _She jumped into the water, the same water Zhao was bombarding, for me?_ Maybe she did it out of her own personal sense of honor, but that didn't matter. Her safety and freedom had been right in front of her, and she had turned back for him. For the first time in a long time, Zuko smiled to himself and let happy thoughts escort him off to sleep.

* * *

It didn't register with Iroh for several minutes, just what that dark spot in the sky was. It was only a few hundred yards off the ship before he recognized the Avatar's flying beast. This was the last thing he wanted, as Zhao was sure to be chasing his quarry, and Iroh was desperately out-gunned by the Admiral's flagship. His soldiers prepared to fire on the unwanted arrivals.

"Uncle!" Iroh's eyes welled-up when he heard Zuko's call.

"Lower your weapons, men! The Avatar is returning Prince Zuko to us!"

Mutters and whispers of amazement washed over the deck of Iroh's ship as his men stood down. The flying monster glided closer to the ship, close enough that Iroh could stretch out his hand and rub the beast's flank.

Rather than petting the Avatar's pet, Iroh stretched out his hand to help his nephew down. Zuko paused, hanging off of the bison's side.

"Sokka, thank Katara for me? Tell her... Tell her I'm glad she didn't let me win?"

The water boy peered quizzically over the animal's side.

"She'll understand," Zuko explained, before dropping to the ground.

The water boy was still staring at Zuko as the huge bison took back to the skies. Zuko watched as they disappeared into the atmosphere.

"You're not going to shoot him down, Prince Zuko? What about your honor?" Iroh asked, incredulous to what he'd just seen.

"Uncle, I'm hungry, I haven't had a bath or a shave in nearly two months, and I haven't had a good night's sleep in nearly a week. The Avatar can wait."

With that, Zuko retired to his quarters for a bath. Over the next few days, his uncle noticed a strange tin plate had appeared on Zuko's dresser, but the old man decided that some questions were best left un-asked.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender. If I did, I wouldn't have to work for a living.

Thank you for reading this far! I hope you enjoyed the story. Here is the last installment of the first story arc. Next up: the sequel!

* * *

_Just remember  
In the winter  
Far beneath  
The bitter snows_

_  
Lies the seed  
That with the sun's love  
In the spring  
Becomes the Rose

* * *

_

**Firewater Rose, Arc 1, Chapter 8**

If anyone had asked him three years ago, at the start of his exile, how he would be returning home, this would be at the bottom of his list, Zuko decided. From the back of Aang's flying bison, Zuko could see the sun rising over the Fire Nation capital. It would be many, many hours before the sun set, and what would the city look like when it was all over? When it was, would he be a traitor for leading the Avatar against the Fire Nation, or an honored son for ending the war?

Even now, Zuko could feel the fire inside him, roaring like a chained tiger. Sozin's Comet would be upon them today. Even Aang was noticing an increase in his firebending prowess.

Down below them, so far that Zuko could only make out dark splotches dotting the Earth, Earth Kingdom armies and the handful of troops that the Northern Water Tribe could offer were advancing on the city. Fire Nation soldiers were pouring out to meet them. Though he couldn't see them, Zuko was certain that the Fire Lord would put Yuu Yuan archers in the towers to pick-off Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe officers.

A low rumbling noise made its way to the ears of Appa's charges, and Zuko looked down to the source. A giant wall of earth had risen up out of the ground and was falling on one of the Fire Nation divisions. All Zuko could see was streaks of red uniforms scrambling to get out of the way of the toppling terror.

As Appa banked around the city to the harbor, the Fire Navy came into view. Half of the fleet had been docked when the attack began. The ships were now releasing their moorings and providing supporting fire for the city's defenders. For their part, the Water Tribe's benders were working in concert, pushing and pulling the waves, tossing a handful of the larger warships about.

One of the ships fired, and Zuko watched in horror as the fireblast rained down on a cluster of blue-clad warriors. In panic, the Water Tribe benders broke formation, and the waters of the harbor went still.

Aang stood up on Appa's head. With slow motions that looked more like a dance than an attack, he pulled a column of water easily two hundred feet tall out of the harbor, and dashed it against the flagship. The flagship was smashed against the cliffs that bordered the beach. When the water receded, it lay like a dead fish on the sands.

Aang sank back down on Appa's head as the surviving waterbenders resumed their assault on the remaining ships. For the third time that day, Zuko wished Katara was with them. She, he had no doubt, could keep the Navy busy and spare Aang's strength for the comet. He hoped, wherever she was, she was recovering from her illness. The banished Prince leaned back and closed his eyes.

* * *

_Another town, another inn... Another place to turn me away when they figure out who I am_, he thought. _Why should I hide who I am? I dunno, maybe because I'll starve to death if I don't?_ His practical side won the argument.

There wasn't anywhere in the Earth Kingdom that hadn't been touched by his great-grandfather's war. If the Fire Nation hadn't already marched over the area, then their spouses and children had been thrown in the Fire Nation's path. Everywhere he went, he was met with distrust at first, then outright hostility when his scar was recognized.

When he reached the outskirts of town, he pulled back on his reins. The town was a smoking ruin. No matter how many times he saw scenes like this, it made him cringe inside. He squeezed his ostrich-horse's sides, and his mount set off down the main road. _Well, I won't have to worry about pitchforks,_ he thought.

As he glanced around, something was out-of-place. A corpse in the road caught his attention. Again, he stopped his mount. This time, he slid out of his saddle to examine the body. With one hand, he shoved the corpse onto its side. _Dark hair, pale skin, extended sideburns, topknot... but no armor or weapons..._ This was a Fire Nation settlement!

Something caught his attention under the dead man, and he shoved the body fully onto its back. Raven locks wrapped-up in the man's hands grabbed his attention. Reverently, he peeled the hands apart, and the body of a child - a boy, no more than ten years old - rolled to the side.

Zuko leapt to his feet and staggered back against his mount. The voice of a boy echoed through the streets, and for a moment, Zuko thought the dead were speaking to him.

"I don't know, Sokka. Are you sure this is the place Aunt Wu was talking about?"

"You're the one who believes in that mumbo-jumbo, why are you asking me?" Zuko recognized Katara's brother's voice. That must mean that the other was the Avatar!

The two youths rounded a corner behind Zuko and stopped in their tracks. Sokka's hand flew to his boomerang.

"What are you doing here?" he glared at Zuko.

"I'm just passing through," Zuko said.

"Wait a minute, Sokka... Aunt Wu said," Aang started.

"I don't care what that old bat said! She was wrong!" Sokka insisted, "This isn't the place, and he certainly isn't the teacher! Don't you remember what he did to Katara?"

Zuko stopped in the middle of mounting his ostrich-horse with one boot in the stirrup. Calmly, he pulled his foot back to the ground and strode around behind his mount to face the water boy.

"What, exactly, did I do to Katara?" his eyes narrowed. _Where is she?_

Sokka's eyes narrowed right back at Zuko. "Don't pretend you don't know, dirtbag."

"Where's your sister?" Zuko asked, keeping his voice and temper even.

"She... she got sick, so we sent her home," Aang answered. Sokka snorted.

Zuko was taken aback. _Sick?_ The girl who had endured Zhao's barbaric assaults, walked a hundred miles barefoot through dense forest, and jumped off the back of a flying bison into a raging river to save him? Sick? Maybe it had all been too much for her. Was her daredevil dive to save his life the final straw?

"Her illness... is it because of me?" he asked.

Sokka's nostrils flared. "You might say that!"

"Sokka, cut it out!" Aang was getting annoyed, "We don't know that! No one knows that! It's not like Katara ever said, 'Zuko did this to me!'"

Zuko didn't hear Aang's words. Somehow, Katara was ill and it was his doing. He looked down at the body of the child laying in his father's arms.

"Avatar, what kind of teacher were you looking for?" he asked.

"I was looking... I mean, Aunt Wu said I'd find... a firebender to teach me... here."

Zuko nodded. "Can you look me in the eye, Avatar, and promise me you'll put an end to this war? That you'll stop the killing, and let my people live in peace?"

Aang clearly had not been expecting that question. He gulped before he answered.

"I can't promise that, but I promise that I'll die trying. I don't have a chance unless I learn to firebend first, though."

"That's good enough for me, Avatar," Zuko responded quietly.

For the next month, Zuko drilled against Aang, teaching the boy the basics of firebending. He drilled against their third party member, the blind earthbender named Toph. He even drilled against Sokka, earning a grudging acceptance from the water tribe boy in exchange for showing the boy how to better wield a blade, and learning a few things about combat, himself.

* * *

The Fire Palace was in flames all around him, but he did not notice. His world was constricted to two things: him, and his target. He stood still, waiting for his prey to come to him. Come for him, his prey did. Rushing forward, streaming lightning in its wake. He breathed in, and out. In, and out. His target was two steps away.

Prince Zuko ducked to the left, sidestepping around his opponent. As his opponent reached out for him, the Fire Prince grabbed a wrist, using his target's own momentum to twist the hand around behind him so that the bolts of electricity struck his opponent in the back with their full intensity.

Fire Lord Ozai fell dead at Zuko's feet. Clapping echoed throughout the Agni Kai arena.

"Well done, Zuzu," a sultry, poisonous voice said, "and welcome home."

"Don't make me kill you, Azula," he warned.

"Like you killed Father? He would be so proud of you, you know. I guess the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree," she said with feigned disinterest. "Oh, don't be so upset, brother dear. He was getting weak."

"Shut up," he demanded.

"Make me," she narrowed her gaze and assumed a fighting stance.

Around the arena she drove him. Every fireblast, every bolt of lightning she sent at him, he evaded with moves he'd learned from Sokka, but they weren't enough. They were keeping him from dying, but he never got a clear shot at her. Finally, she let out a frustrated scream.

"You've gotten better, Zuzu. Now, let's see you dodge this!" and she drew a blade.

"There are no weapons in an Agni Kai, Azula!" he yelled.

"Who said this was an Agni Kai? I don't remember challenging you, or you challenging me. Oh, no, Zuzu, dearest. This is war. There are no rules."

_Proud, not stupid, _he reminded himself. _She must've been waiting for me to challenge Father to an Agni Kai, so she could catch me without armor or weapons..._.

She came at him in a whirling, chaotic mass of steel and flame. She was unrelenting, driven. He ducked out of the way of one bolt of lightning, and before he could move again, something struck him on the back of the head, then a boot shoved the small of his back to the ground. He twisted around in time to find her standing over him, a mad gleam in her eye.

He saw her blade flash red, reflecting the flames that were consuming the arena, as it fell. Her eyes went cold and black as she leaned forward.

"That's for the Water Tribe!" he heard someone yell on the far side of the arena.

Azula's body twisted to the side and collapsed harmlessly beside him. Zuko rolled her over to get her legs off of his. Sokka's boomerang was embedded in her back. His... _friend?_ Yes, his friend, strode non-chalantly up to Zuko and put his hand out.

"Man, I thought Katara was a pain in the neck for a sister..." was all Sokka said.

Zuko took Sokka's hand and stood up. "This way!" he yelled, pointing toward one of the exits.

The two young men stumbled out into a courtyard, Sokka was coughing and wheezing from the smoke. The water boy took two steps and collapsed against Zuko. Zuko hoisted him up onto his shoulders and carried him to the center of the stone courtyard and away from the burning palace walls.

A roaring overhead caused him to look up in time to see a streak of bright light soar through the sky to meet Sozin's Comet.

* * *

_All my life has been about this moment, _Aang thought to himself. _Everything I've learned, everything I've done, everyone I've cared about..._ For the first time in his life, Aang was going to bring all of his bending abilities to bear. _Never again. Comet, you've met your match!_

He bent the air around him in to a densely-packed orb before stirring up a wind to carry him high into the atmosphere. Higher and higher he bent the wind, never once looking down. He kept his eyes on the Comet. The sky began to turn a darker blue. Points of light appeared all around him. _Stars! I can see the stars in broad daylight!_ he realized.

Something was wrong. It was harder and harder to keep the air bent around him. He was slowing down. The Comet was so close, yet so far away. He couldn't breathe. The air was being pulled away from him. _No!_ and he felt nothing more.

* * *

A massive explosion in the sky rocked the courtyard, but Zuko paid it no mind whatsoever. Streamers of fire rained down on the city, and Zuko ignored them. A bright light fell from where the Comet had been, and this had all of Zuko's attention. Slowly, the light descended toward him, and he left Sokka lying on the ground as he raced to catch the Avatar.

Aang's eyes and tattoos glowed with an eerie light. _The Avatar State!_ Zuko realized. Slowly, the light faded, and Aang blinked at Zuko, a thin trickle of blood dripped from the corner of the Avatar's mouth.

"Zuko," Aang said weakly.

"I'm right here, Aang. Don't talk! We'll get you to a doctor!"

"Too late. Zuko, you're a powerful firebender. You must promise me something," Aang struggled to meet Zuko's eyes.

"Anything..."

"Protect Katara," and Aang's brown eyes glazed over, and his breathing ceased.

A door burst open into the courtyard. A wrinkled hand grasped Zuko's shoulder firmly.

"He's dead," was all Zuko could say. "The Avatar State..." Zuko didn't finish the sentence.

"He was in the Avatar State when he fell?" Iroh asked. Zuko simply nodded, too overcome by emotion to say anything else.

* * *

Since the Comet had lit up the sky, she spent every day on the newly-repaired wall around her village, waiting. After three weeks, her wait ended when a familiar blot against a noon-time cloud appeared on the horizon. Excitement flowed through her veins. _They're home!_ she wanted to stand up and sing.

The next thirty minutes were excruciating, but the moments after Appa landed would stay with her for the rest of her life. She rushed down off the wall and into Sokka's arms, tears of joy streaming down her face. Gingerly, Sokka returned her hug. She looked up into his face. Somehow, he looked older. Not like a boy of 16 anymore.

She glanced over to where Appa stood.

"Where's Aang?" she looked to Sokka for an answer.

_Nooooo!_ her mind screamed. The pain in her soul echoed through her body. She fell to the ground, clutching her swollen abdomen. Sokka looked up to their grandmother for an answer.

"It's too soon, Katara!" Gran-gran exclaimed. "Quick, Sokka, get your sister into the tent!"

Katara heard her grandmother barking orders to Sokka and two women from their tribe. The pain kept coming. It wouldn't stop. _Get it out of me!_ She panted.

Gran-gran was hovering over her. Someone put something in her mouth. She screamed and bit down on it. It tasted like leather. The pain washed over her again, and she bit down until her teeth came together. A finger hastily dug through her mouth between pains and removed whatever it was they'd given her.

Another pain rocked her body. Gran-gran was saying something to her, but she didn't hear anything. Her pain-filled eyes locked with her grandmother's pale grey eyes for a moment. Flecks of gold appeared in Gran-gran's eyes. _Funny, I never noticed those before._ Then more flecks, amber this time. The golden colors multiplied until all that was left was a pair of golden, amber-tinged eyes, and she felt peace.

* * *

She woke up several hours later. Her entire body felt like one big bruise, and her hair was plastered to her face, neck and back by sweat. Gran-gran and Sokka were sitting next to her bedroll.

"The baby?" she asked.

"It was too soon, my little waterbender. We've already... attended to her," Gran-gran's soothing voice came.

"And Aang? Is he dead, Sokka?" she glanced to her brother.

Sokka nodded, solemnly. "There's more, Katara. He died in the Avatar State."

"No..." Katara breathed.

No one in the tent said anything for a very long time.

* * *

Master Pakku stood at the entrance to the Southern Water Temple. He glanced down at the sleeping bundle in his arms. He nudged her quietly, and she opened her burnished copper eyes.

"Kanna. I think I will call you Kanna," he told the infant girl.

* * *

**End of Firewater Rose, Arc 1**

For those who are curious, yes, there is an Arc 2, and most likely an Arc 3 that will pick up where this story leaves off. The questions this chapter leaves you with will be answered, new questions will be raised, but they are another story, for another time.


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